KARACHI: Pakistan on Friday launched its third Hangor-class submarine in China, the navy said in a statement, in the latest sign of the country’s growing military ties with Beijing.
The launch comes months after Pakistan’s brief but intense military standoff with India, which saw the two nuclear-armed neighbors exchange air, missile, drone and artillery attacks.
In recent years, Islamabad has strengthened its defence collaboration with China, inducting state-of-the-art Chinese hardware across all three services, including Z-10ME attack helicopters earlier this month and JF-17 fighter jets jointly developed with Beijing.
The navy said the new vessel, equipped with modern sensors and weapons, will enhance its capabilities to safeguard national interests and contribute to a “secure and cooperative maritime environment.”
“Their cutting-edge weaponry and advanced sensors would be instrumental in sustaining regional power equilibrium and ensuring maritime stability,” Vice Admiral Abdul Samad, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Project-2, said at the launch ceremony in Wuhan, according to a navy statement.
